Minister announces mission staff for 2003 Canada Winter Games

Julie Bettney, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, announced today the members of the Newfoundland and Labrador mission staff for the 2003 Canada Winter Games. The games will be held in Bathurst-Campbellton, New Brunswick, February 22-March 8, 2003.

"The mission staff provides support services to our athletes and coaches as they prepare to compete at the Canada Games," said Minister Bettney. "Once the games begin, the mission staff ensures the care and comfort of our athletes." Team Newfoundland and Labrador�s mission desk also provides media, family and friends with access to the province�s athletes and updates on their performances.

Glenn Littlejohn of Bay Roberts will head up the team as Chef de Mission and Clayton Welsh of Grand Bank will serve as Assistant Chef de Mission. Other members of the mission staff are: Jim Tee, Michelle Healey, Patti Thorne, Mike Summers, Wendy Mercer, George Power, Margaret Tibbo, Mary Carroll and Gwenyth Pryce-Phillips, all of St. John�s; Denise May and Allan "Tex" Seaborn of Corner Brook; Roger McGrath, Mike Mooney and Dave Feener, all of Mount Pearl; Rex Hillier, Conception Bay South; Mike Alexander of Stephenville; Gerald Wheeler of Musgrave Harbour; Daryl Feener of Happy Valley-Goose Bay; Terry Burton of Gander; and John Stanley of Paradise.

"I am confident the sport background and experience of these individuals will contribute greatly to the success of our provincial contingent," said Minister Bettney. "I am delighted they have agreed to join us in this very important and exciting sporting event."

Sport-governing bodies are in varying stages of team development and selection. Team Newfoundland and Labrador will consist of approximately 340 athletes, coaches, managers and mission staff members. The team will compete in17 sports at the games. As well, because of the increased emphasis on the cultural component of the games, four artists from various disciplines will also be named to the team.

"Team Newfoundland and Labrador heads into the 2003 games following its most successful Winter Games ever, winning 19 medals at the 1999 Games in Corner Brook," said Minister Bettney. "While much of the focus at the games is on the competition, this event will also provide the opportunity for our young athletes to take in the many cultural activities that accompany the games experience."

Media contact: Vanessa Colman-Sadd, Communications, (709) 729-0857.

Chef de Mission � Glenn Littlejohn, Bay Roberts
Mr. Littlejohn was the Assistant Chef de Mission at the 1999 and 2001 Canada Games and this will be his first games as Chef de Mission. This will be his fifth Canada Games having represented the province as an athlete and a coach in previous games in 1981 and 1989. Mr. Littlejohn looks forward to leading Team Newfoundland and Labrador�s delegation in Bathurst-Campbellton, New Brunswick. He is a Recreation and Sport Consultant, Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation.

Assistant Chef de Mission � Clayton Welsh, Grand Bank
This will be Mr. Welsh�s first experience as Assistant Chef and his sixth Canada Games experience, having been at previous games as an official, coach and mission staff member. He is presently a Recreation and Sport Consultant and Provincial Coaching Coordinator with the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation.

Jim Tee, St. John�s
Mr. Tee is presently Director of the Recreation and Sport Division, Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, and is the veteran of the mission staff. He has been a member of the mission staff on many occasions and was the province�s Chef de Mission for the past five Canada Games.

Denise May, Corner Brook
Ms. May was the Human Resources Manager with the 1999 Canada Winter Games at Corner Brook. She is a long-time sport volunteer on the West Coast of the province and is presently involved with alpine skiing and the ITU Triathlon in Corner Brook.

Michelle Healey, St. John�s
Ms. Healey is the Service Program Coordinator at Memorial University of Newfoundland and a volunteer coach and referee with basketball. She has previous games experience as a mission staff member and an athlete.

Patti Thorne, St. John�s
Ms. Thorne is a Recreation and Sport Consultant, Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, and coordinated the 2002 Newfoundland and Labrador Winter Games. She is also a sessional instructor with the School of Human Kinetics and Recreation, MUN.

Rex Hillier, Conception Bay South
Mr. Hillier is vice-principal at Booth Memorial High School in St. John�s and has long been involved in high school sport, especially volleyball. He has participated in previous Canada Games as an athlete and a coach.

Allan "Tex" Seaborn, Corner Brook
Justice Seaborn has provided many years of volunteer work in the City of Corner Brook, especially to baseball and hockey. He was also the sport chairperson at the 1999 Canada Winter Games.

Roger McGrath, Mount Pearl
Mr. McGrath is the Program Coordinator, Recreation and Sport Division, Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, and has been involved as a sport volunteer for many years in the City of Mount Pearl. He was a member of the Canada Games mission staff at London in 2001.

Mike Summers, St. John�s
Mr. Summers is president of Boxing Newfoundland and Labrador and a long-time executive member of that association. He has coached and officiated at previous Canada Games.

Mike Alexander, Stephenville
Mr. Alexander is president of Badminton Newfoundland and Labrador and also devotes many volunteer hours as a coach. He coached the provincial teams at the 1995 and 1999 Canada Winter Games.

Dave Feener, Mount Pearl
Mr. Feener is a Recreation and Sport Consultant, Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, and a 3M NCCP Course Conductor. He has participated in previous Canada Games as an athlete, coach and as a mission staff member.

Wendy Mercer, St. John�s
Ms. Mercer has been a very successful figure skating coach/instructor in the St. John�s/Mount Pearl area for many years. Many of her skaters have participated in previous Canada Winter Games and she coached the 1991 Canada Games Team.

Mr. Wheeler is currently vice-president of the High School Athletic Federation and for many years served as a coach and an administrator with the Newfoundland and Labrador Volleyball Association. He was manager of the 1991 Canada Games Volleyball Team.

George Power, St. John�s
Mr. Power is president of Basketball Newfoundland and Labrador and was a driving force behind the successful basketball clinic featuring well-known analyst and former NBA coach, Hubie Brown. He is also a member of the Coaching Newfoundland and Labrador Committee.

Daryl Feener, Happy Valley-Goose Bay
Mr. Feener is the Physical Education and Cooperative Education Coordinator for the Labrador School Board. He was instrumental in organizing the highly successful Labrador High School Sport Championships.

Margaret Tibbo, St. John�s
Ms. Tibbo is a long-time volunteer in recreation and sports, especially in the area of the mentally and physically challenged. She was a technical advisor in that capacity at the 2002 Provincial Winter Games. Ms. Tibbo has attended many Para Olympic and Special Olympic Games.

Mary Carroll, St. John�s
A former Olympic diver, Ms. Carroll is the diving coach at the Aquarena. She has a wealth of multi-sport games experience and was the manager of our 2001 Canada Games Diving Team.

Ms. Pryce-Phillips is the executive director of the Special Olympics in Newfoundland and Labrador and brings to the Mission Staff in depth knowledge of the needs and aspirations of our Special Olympics athletes.

Terry Burton, Gander
Mr. Burton has been an active coach in many sports during his years as a physical educator at Gander Collegiate. He recently was the Sport Technical Chairperson for the 2002 Newfoundland and Labrador Winter Games at Gander.

Mike Mooney, Mount Pearl
Mr. Mooney is a long-time sport volunteer in Mount Pearl and was the 2000 Sport Technical Chair for Newfoundland and Labrador Summer Games in Mount Pearl.

John Stanley, Paradise
Mr. Stanley is involved with Boxing Newfoundland and Labrador in an executive capacity and was a member of our 1999 Canada Winter Games coaching staff. He has dedicated many years of service to boxing throughout the province.

2002 08 16                                12:30 p.m.